Biplane.



` dispose a pair lo UNTED STATES ERNST W. E. HERRMANN,

or slm ANTONIO, Texas.'

BIPLANE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented July as, 191e.

Application led November 21, 19.11.Y Serial No. 661,603.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ERNST W. F. HERR- MANN, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of San Antonio, in thecounty of Bexar and State of Texas, have invented a newand'lm'provedBiplane, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Myr invention relates t0 a new and improved form of biplane, and theprincipal object of my invention is to provide a flying machine of theabove-indicated type, having arelatively high degree of stability andeffective supporting surfaces r'oportionate to `the relative small areao the supporting planes.

A further obgect of my invention is to 'Propellers in such position asto give the greatest lifting effect to the machine, and to so disposethe propellers as toobtain the greatest eliciency.

A' further object of my invention is to provide a landing device adaptedto absorb theA shock tothe machine in landing, and to `draw the same upclose to the body of the machine while the same is in ilight.

A`-further object of my invention is to provide a new and improved formof unltary steering mechanism by which the machine may be guided in allmagnitudes.

To these ends, the invention consists in the'novel construction,combination, and ary rangement of parts, as hereinafter described andclaimed. 36

4Reference is to be had to the accompauyingld'ra'wings, forming a partofthis specication,in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all i s figures, and in which- Figure 1 is a planview of a preferred embodiment of my invention, portions of the topplanes of both the forward and the rear sets-ofplanes being broken away'to ,"show the parts beneath; Fig. 2 is a side ele'- wration of the sameon a slightly reduced scaleyFig. 3 is a perspective view of the steeringmechanism; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 5 is a frontelevation with the frontpropeller andV landing mechanism omitted; Fig. 6is a plan view partly in section of a portion of thc mechanism foroperating the swinging ends of the lower forward plane; Fig. 7 is a sideview of anotherportion of the same mechanism; Fig.

8 is a side elevation of the landing mechanism; Fig. 9 is a plan viewlooking down upon the same, Fig. 10 is a detailed perspective view of aholding clamp on the landing mechanism.y

Described more in detail, the biplane comprises a general framework 7,supporting a pair of forward lanes 8 and l9, each of said planes beingsu stantially rectangular in depth,the central rear portion of eachplane being recessed, to-form a central opening 10. 'lhe upper plane v9,as shown more clearly in Fig. 1, is of less width than the lower plane,and the side edges 11 of this upper plane converge slightly toward therear, to meetv the rear side forming the curved outline of the upperrecess. yEach side edge o1 the lower forward plane has extensions 12thereon ofgeneral triangular construction, which extensions are'movablevertically to coact with the rudder, to guide the biplane. The rear setof planes 13 are each 1n the general form of a trapezoid,l with thesmaller base forward. These rear planes are superimposed and have theircentral forward portion recessed, as shown at le zoidal opening, forminga rearward extension of the central opening 10. The lower plane of therear set of planes 13 is arranged as a lifting plane (front high, rearlow), and the upper plane of same is arranged as a non-lifting plane(set flat, level), both to coact with each other in cornbination to giveout thegreatcst amount of steadiness to theplane as a whole, and forkeeping the aeroplane .from falling into holes in the air. Rearwardlyconverging braces 15 from the rear planes 13, have positioned betweenthem, a pair of spacedapart vertically-extending .uaralleel,`44horizontal rudders 16, fastened te each other by of flexible wires 18leading about pulleys 19 and 2() mounted on ppposite sides .of theYmachine between theforward planes, and about pulleys 21 disposed beneaththe operators scat 30, to the opposite -ends of thetransversely-disposed arms 22 mounted adjacent the lower end ofasteering post 23 positioned in front of the operators seat. The lowerend. of `this steering post is connected to the supporting frame 7 byImeans of a ball-and-socket joint 24, therupperend of the steering pest23 vhaving aiiixed thereto,

shape and of materially greater width than in Figs. 1 and 2, to form ageneral trapea strut 17, attached Ato whichstrut is a pair i aconventional form of steering wheel 25.

By this construction, the rotation of the Wheel to the right or left,will correspondingly change the angle ofA the rudders 16, to guide themachine horizontally.

The ends 12 of the lower forward plane 8 are hinged at 12n to havevertical movement and when the said ends are swung u or down ashereinafter described the`vl ront edges of the plane will be raised andlowered as in myv Patent No. 1,011,620 dated December 12, 1911.

The means for ,operating the ends 12 of the plane consists of a flexibleconnection 251 secured to and disposed about a pulley 26v and passed ino posite directions about a pair of pu1leys2 each mounted on aVertically-extending rodvor shaft 27 on opposite sides of the post 23,said flexible connection is then looped in opposite directions about oneof a pair of semi-circular peripherally grooved members 28 rigidlymounted on the ost 23, which A members have their perip eries disposedon opposite sides of the post above the arm 22, as shown.

more particularly in Figs. 3, 4 and 6. This construction is duplicatedon op osite sides of thesteering post 23, so as to acilitate the flexingof either side of the plane simultaneously with the actuation of thepair of horizontally-steering rudders 16. The

voperation is as followszln ascending vthe hand wheel 25 is swungrearwardly into the position shown inl dotted lines in Fig. 6, when theends-12 of the plane will be swung up andlthe parts assume the positionshown in Fig. 5. Todescend the hand wheelf2'5 is swungforwardly into theposition: shovn in full lines in Fig. 6 when the ends will be lowered.

Disposed centrally between the planes 8 andi), is a'compound engine 29,preferably' composed oftwo parts,feach part disposed on opposite. sidesof the operatosseat 30, convenient tothe wheel 25, and adapted tooperate thev tfwo independent propeller ,shafts through the medium of aduel drive mechanism 31, formingfthe' subject-mattenof my copendingapplication, Serial No. 661,004, filed November 21, 1911, said mechanismadaptedto be coupled up at will to a rearwwardly-facing -propeller32mounted upon the framework supporting the lower for- Ward plane, inelevation substantially lialf way between the lower forward plane 8 andthe upper forward plane 9, shownin Fig. 2, and in plan within thecontour of the opening-10, as shown more particularly in Fig. 1.

The forwardly-extending propellerv 33` isl mountedy on a shaft 34, whichshaft is positioned above the lower plane 8, at a slight 1 acute angleto the same,I and extends some material .distance forward of the frontvedge of the lower plane 8, as shown more partic'ularly in Fig. 2.,

The rear end ofthe deviceis supported when on the ground, by means of aroller 35 4mounted in a bracket 36, which bracket is in turnrotatablysupported through the medium of a vertically-extending pin 37 carried onthe lower bracketed end of a -centrally-disposed, rearwardly-extending,ver-I tical frame 3'8 suitably braced from the reara central portion ofthe framework 7. The bracket 3S is maintained tliecentral vertical planeof the machine, by means of a coil spring 39 encircling the pin 37andhaving its opposite ends engaging this* bracket and pm. l y

In oirder to support the front end of the machine and to form acombinedlanding device and shock absorber for the same, there extends forwardlyof the machine, a pairy of transversely disposed spaced apart wheelsparallel to each other, each of which wheels.

is journaled in a forked bar 41, said' bar being fulcrumed lon pins/42to a downwardly'- and forwardly-extending member 43 forming part of theframework 7 and normally supported 'on the same, to 'form an extensionthereto. 'lhe'members 43 are connected by means of atransversely-disposed brace bar 44, forming part of the framework 7,which brace bar may carry the steering mechanism hereinbeore describedand shown in detail in Fig. 3. "'lhe forked bar .41 has anaperture 45extending vertically therethrough,

within which aperture is positioncdan upwardly and,Are'arwardly-extending' arched rod rigidly mounted upon the lower end ofeach .member` :'43, the said lower end extending a distance l'below thepivot 42. The upper end of the rod 46 terminates in a cap 47, bearingupon which cap is one end lof a coil spring 48, encircling the rod 40,the opposite lower end of which spring` 1s adapted to*- bear upon aremovable catch plate-.or stop49 slidably mounted upon the topofthe-forked bar 41, as shown more particularly in Figs. 5 and 6.Itovill be seen by this construction, that when the plate 49 iswithdrawnA from its engagement with the lowerend of the spring 43,.it ispossible to raise the wheel 40 and its attached bar 41 out of alinementwit-l1 the membei" 4,3, the spring 4 8 and rod 46 passing thro'ugh'theaperture 45, thereby permitting th`e wheel a'n'd its\attac'hed membersto be positioned cl'os'erdto the planes of `the supporting Amembers, 8.and the lower` member 'of 'the plane 13.

The plate 4 9 has 'its opposite transverse edges 50 downturned to engagethe transverse sides of the bar 41, thereby affording means by whichtheplate 49 may bel guided longitudinally along said A-bar.v Theengagement ofthe plate 49vwith1the spring 48 is controlled by a lockingmechanism, compris ing a lever51 fulcrumedat its lower end to abracketon the top offthe'member 43 by 36 means of a. pivot. pin 52, theouter end 'of inonde@ nliifii'l 5l liesfntteeiied thereto one end off n'role niemeer 53, said latter member ,iiirongli an aperture directly be#.loir tbe member 4.3, about pulleys 54 sind l o the member e3, about edrum to 'tbe operator, and bout :j 4one end ci s resell4 rod' on 2lowest end o tbe member lLob. rod 53 is of, e general Ue'sbcpe n,ebow/ninore particulvjfljv in opposite ieee ends of Wbilr arc o en e'nfl anfapertnre in a gir. brc'ckets 'GG extending upwardly foin tiletop off tbe piste 49. To force tlie plate into engagement, to snpport'tiie swingt,v tired? -is nlso attached' to tne lever 5l, intermediateits length, :in stopsctnating'fged 61, oie i gsliapeeonetstionjtheopposite ends which are ontturned ,to engage in e pair i tbe. apertures59 in the brackets 6@ on sie, lt wilizbe seen that rotatingthe mi 56 inone direction, by ineens oi e 69., tbe plete 459 iswitlidrawn from'ement with tl'ie spring 48, by draws rod 58 inv the direction of thearrow, permittingtlxe wheel l and its at teclrnents to be 'reised by anysuitable g which raised position is indicated in. nes in 5,- or byrotating; tbe drum ooosite direction, the lever l is low-- tbe plate toengage the spring. nderstood that the one drum 56 l rods carrying theWheels 40, and to eem close to the body of the device, #n in desti linesin Fig. 5. ln order i 'tbe plete 49 in e retracted position engagementwith tbe spring, there is rem the top face ofthe plete, f1 cntcli 63adapted yto engage -dis'posed catch rod- Gr carried lt is. of' course,to be under d, that rotating' e drum 58 in the op,-

'1, posits direction, mill draw 'the leven ,'"a downward, tlerebY-g,orcingtlie pleite@ fon svnndfor dinard the ,Wbeeh or until themen--trsllvdis eci-"liecess in the 1slate lf3 ecni Y lime rod #ne lateedmcen;

4 i -i o5' allor/.is bearing or stop for n I Hering time described my)inve m es `new desire to secure 'oy netter llinie, n pinne. bump; :isteering; post 2 ff is of mounted .in

limi' circuler wl ,f end oi' tbe pleo on secured to web v disposed:vii-cel; passed around the imi.

:it tile sideso'f tbc steering post :md loog in opposite directionsabout the'half circular Wheels on the steeriug post. i

2. ln a {lyingmacliinc, a vplane having swinging ends, a ply otedsteering post, wheels on the post,f`a iairfofnlleys disposed on oppositeside/ of tile steering post ctdjacent thereto and, betweenr which thesteering post is adapted to swing, a flexible connection passed aroimdthe pulleys and looped in opposite directions about the Wheels on thesteering, post,v and means connected with the swinging ends of the planeand operated by the said flexible connection.

3. In a steering mechanism, a Steering post, a support, aball-and-socket connection between said post and said suppolt, a pairarms curving downward from said post, so as to bring the outer ends'thereof in `e. line through the center of said'conne'ction, exibleconnections attached to the ends of seidv arms, a pair of semi-circularwheels disposed in opposite directions on said post, a pair of shaftsdisposed onA opposite sides of said post ind rigidly mounted on saisupport, a pair of pulleys carried by each of said shafts, and 'eflexible connection attsched to eah of said wheels, each ypassing aboutone o'soid pairs of pulleys..y

4. In a l'nyin machine, n pair of rear planes arrange one above theother, pairs of broces'extending rearwardly beyond the planes, avertically disposed rudder mounted between each pair of braces, a strutcon flexible connections between the post sind 'stint of the rudders.

In, e liying machine, a plane having. swinging ends, n steering postmounted t0 turn ,and swing and provided with oppod sitely projecting arms and wheels, pulleys on opposite sides' of the steering post, aFlexible `connection passed/around the pulleys and looped in oppositedirections about tile ,Wheels onthe steering post, means connected"rqitli tbcswinging ends of the planland opicratodby the flexibleconnectiompivoted rndder's', end/'a Jflexible connection donnersting tbearms of the steering post with the rudder-s. l

'iii In a. flying macliine,s piene at the fon Werd end of the machineand haring' flexible ends, n pair of rudders at the rem' end of themachine, e steering rod mounted to turn, oppositely projecting adjacent.ille lower end of tbc rod, cables scoured to l'the and cfinnectcd with'tile roddels, icircninr wheels mi tbe steering' rod above 1 the seidarms, :md cables 'secured tbe said i wmvls :ind the flexible ends of theg'ilm'ie.

i'. in :i flying machine, toi-wurd plenos rz: d one above the ciber, andeztcli 'new ing its rom' migo centrally rec' l, rear I pinnentrnpe'zoiflnl in forni nml ai. .n.fod one :ibove flic other, @ich of thesin-ii! rom' plenos -ncctingthe rudders, s steering post, and' ofl armsrigidly attached to said post, said arranged one above the other, eachof the said rear planes having its forward edge recessed, and apropeller mounted in the opening formed by the recesses of the planes aproximately about midway ,between t e planes.

9. In a flying machine, forward planes arranged one above the other andeach having its rear edge recessed, the upper plane being` of less widththan the lower plane and 1 having its side edges converging toward therear and meeting the curved outlines of the recess, rearplanestrapezoidal in form and arranged one above the other the lanesbeing smaller than the forward p anes and each having its forward edgerecessed, and a propeller mounted in the opening formed by the recessesof the planes.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

Witnesses Ofrro LINNAR'rz, F. B. Smm.

ERNST W. F. HERRMANN.

